Desperate Times
by PepperjackCandy
Summary: BLT (Lex/Clark/Chloe) Lex and Chloe are up to something. Can Clark figure it out before it's too late?


Title: Desperate Times  
Author: PepperjackCandy  
Series: No  
Archive : LexSlash.com, my writing at fanfiction.net  
Rating: PG-13  
Pairing: Clark/Lex  
Category: Romance  
Spoilers for: Nothing  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing Smallville-related, or related in any other way to Clark Kent, Superman or any of the various creations of the wonderful folks at DC Comics.   
  
Feedback: Always welcome, either by e-mail or using the review system at fanfiction.net.   
  
A/N: Dedicated to my BLT threadsibs.   
  
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Clark walked in on Chloe in the Torch office, finding her talking on her cell phone, deep in conversation. "Mm. Yes. That *would* be fun," she said throatily. When she saw Clark standing in the doorway, she jumped a little, then grinned smiled at him, motioning for him to come into the room. "Gotta run. I'm not alone. Bye."  
  
With a broad grin, she hung up. "Hey, Clark. What's happening?"  
  
"I don't know. Why don't you tell me?" He pulled a chair over and sat down, facing her across the desk.  
  
Chloe smiled, somewhat smugly. "Well, there is something I'd love to tell you, but I can't."  
  
"Come on, you want to, I can tell."  
  
"I know, but it's a secret."   
  
"Oh. A secret. I'll have to respect that, then." Clark said nonchalantly. "Unless you really *do* want to tell me, that is."  
  
"No. Now go. Shoo. I've got work to do on the paper."   
  
Clark looked at Chloe askance. "All right. See you tonight then?"  
  
Her eyes widened. "Oh. No. Sorry. I've got plans."  
  
"Hm. Well, Pete and I'll miss you."  
  
"Next week, definitely."  
  
"Sure." Crestfallen, Clark left the office. He trudged along the corridor towards the doors, upset that Chloe wouldn't be there. Pete was great company, but something would be missing without Chloe.  
  
He exited the school and found Lex waiting, leaning up against his car that Clark had never seen him drive before, a sports car of some sort, Clark didn't see enough sports cars to identify it on sight, in a dark, royal purple.   
  
_Lex is always here when I need him._ Clark broke out in a broad grin as he approached Lex. "Hey."  
  
Lex returned his smile, but it never touched his eyes. "Hi."  
  
"I was just thinking about you." Clark fibbed. It was true that he'd been feeling something missing, but until he saw Lex he hadn't known what it was.  
  
Lex's smile faded away, and instead, something . . . assessing entered his gaze. "Is that so."   
  
Clark's smile faltered a little. "Are you all right?"  
  
Lex nodded. "Of course," he responded glibly. "I just have something on my mind."   
"Well, Pete and I are meeting for pizza. You want to come?"  
  
Now Lex looked genuinely disappointed. "Sorry, no. I have other plans for the afternoon."  
  
"Oh. Well, maybe afterwards?"  
  
"No I don't think so. I'm going to be . . . tied up all evening."  
  
"That's all right. We'll catch up later, right?"  
  
"Of course. As always." Lex gave Clark the first genuine smile in this conversation.   
  
"Great. See you around, then."  
  
Clark continued walking to the pizza parlor, where Pete had already grabbed a seat. Clark joined him.   
  
"Where's Chloe?"  
  
"She's busy. She said she'd be free next week, though."   
Pete nodded understandingly. "Must be paper stuff."   
  
Clark wasn't so sure, though. "Yeah. Must be." He replied without enthusiasm.  
  
Clark attempted to throw himself into conversation and pizza with Pete, but his mind was still on Chloe. And Lex.  
  
After he left the pizza parlor, Clark returned home to his Fortress of Solitude, where he tried to focus on his homework. And failed. He crossed to his telescope, focusing off into the distance, to Luthor Manor, where the windows were frustratingly dark.  
  
Before he even knew what he had intended, Clark was off to Lex's at top speed. Soon he was staring up at those same, darkened, windows. He zipped around the house, but never saw even a glimmer of light from any of the windows.   
  
Upset that he couldn't talk to Lex, Clark went home.  
  
Clark trudged up to his room and grabbed the cell phone from where it was recharging on his dresser. He quickly pressed the second speed dial number.   
  
A woman's voice answered. "Hello?"  
  
"Hi, Mrs. Sullivan. It's Clark. Is Chloe there?"  
  
"No, Clark. I thought she was out with you. Maybe she's at Pete's?"   
  
Clark sighed. "I'll try over there. Thanks Mrs. Sullivan."  
  
Clark hung up and then pressed the first speed dial number. Another woman answered. "Hello?"  
  
"Hi, Mrs. Ross. It's Clark. Is Pete there?"  
  
"Yes, hold on a moment."   
  
Clark heard the phone being put down, then being picked up a moment later. "Hey, Clark. What's up?"  
  
"Is Chloe there?"  
  
Pete paused. "No. I thought she was with you."  
  
"All right. Now this is officially weird. And I'm beginning to get a little scared."  
  
"Don't worry, Clark. Chloe can take care of herself."  
  
"Yeah. Usually. And then there are times . . ." like when I had to rescue her from getting frozen to death by Sean. He finished silently.  
  
Pete chuckled a little. "Yeah, she does have a tendency to get herself into trouble. So call her cell phone if you're so worried."  
  
"You know, she's probably just working late at the paper and didn't think to call her mom."  
  
"Maybe," Pete sounded dubious. "But she told me that she'd be at your place."  
  
Adrenaline rushed through Clark's system at this. "Crap. Why didn't you say that?"  
  
"I thought I had. You know, when I told you that I thought she was with you."  
  
"I've gotta go." Without another word, Clark hung up and punched the third number on his speed dial.  
  
Time seemed to slow down as Chloe's cell phone rang once, twice, then resumed its normal pace as Chloe answered. "Hello?"  
  
Clark breathed a sigh of relief. "Chloe. You're all right."  
  
"Of course I'm all right, Clark."  
  
"Are you at the Torch offices?"  
  
"No. I'm just . . . out."  
  
Clark heard another voice in the background. A man's voice. "Is someone there with you?"  
  
"No." Chloe said a little too quickly. "I'm just . . . on my way to the Beanery."  
  
Suddenly, a strange jealousy enveloped Clark. "So you won't mind if I meet you there to see you, then?"  
  
"That's really not necessary."  
  
The jealousy flared up further. "No. I insist. I . . . was worried."  
  
"Well, if you insist."   
  
"I do. I'll be there in a few minutes."  
  
Clark bummed the keys to the truck from his folks in record time and was off to downtown Smallville, desperately fighting to resist the temptation to drive like Lex always did. It was full dark by then and he pulled into an empty parking space within view of the Beanery. He climbed out of the truck, focusing on the lights of the coffee shop so intently he didn't even notice a couple walking hand-in-hand about a block ahead of him.   
  
Clark hurried, his 'gifts' kicking in in a limited way to propel himself forward considerably faster than the couple. He stumbled into them just as they stopped outside the door of the Beanery, her face turned up towards his for a kiss.  
  
"Chloe!" Clark's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as he looked at the man. "Lex?!?"  
  
Lex, panic-stricken, looked from Clark to Chloe and back. "Look, Clark. I can expl - mmph!"  
  
Clark stopped Lex's plea with his mouth, pulling Lex to himself tightly. After a long kiss, Clark loosened his hold on Lex just enough to speak to him. "You disappeared. I couldn't find you at your house, and then no one could find Chloe, and then. . ." Clark realized why he'd suddenly gotten so jealous when he was talking to Chloe. "And then I heard your voice in the background when I was talking to Chloe."  
  
"So you came out to make sure I wasn't manhandling her." Lex suggested.  
  
Clark chewed on his lower lip doubtfully. "Actually, I was more worried that she was manhandling you."   
  
"Oh, really?" Lex asked, looking at Clark's lips like he wanted to kiss him again. "Why don't we continue this at my place?"  
  
Clark threw Lex a crooked grin. "Sounds good to me."  
  
Lex, apparently deciding that it was better to keep an eye on the Kents' truck, guided Clark back towards the truck. As he passed Chloe, he winked.  
  
And, grinning, she threw him a thumbs-up sign in response. 


End file.
